Cecily Hanson was born in Cape Town, South Africa. She attended Herzlia School, Cape Town from Sub grade A to Matric. She has a B.A. (Music) from the University of Cape Town and in Israel received an M.A. in Expressive Art Therapy majoring in music and non-verbal psychotherapy.

In 1970 she came to live in Israel. In Israel Cecily worked at the ‘Hevrat Ne’urim’ institution in Tel Mond as an employee of the Ministry of Education for children and youth with mental disabilities aged 6-18. When the school in Tel Mond closed, due to the fact that there were no more pupils to fill the age criteria, Cecily moved to a regional school in Rosh Haayin (Ne’ot Illana) for pupils with severe mental and physical disabilities.

When Cecily retired as a music therapist she became an active volunteer in ESRA. She led the ESRA Garden Club until 2009 and received a volunteer award for this activity. She now organizes the ESRA monthly day trips for which received another volunteer award in 2014. She also worked on the ESRA Ethiopian Embroidery Project for a number of years until it stopped.

She is also a member of ESRA Kfar Saba committee.

Cecily started her volunteer career in Cape Town where she was a member of Junior Rotary (Rotarians) and volunteered at the Rudolph Steiner Camphill Village. CAMPHILL COMMUNITIES provide opportunities for children, young people and adults with learning disabilities, mental health problems and other special needs to live, learn and work together with others in an atmosphere of mutual respect and equality.

Cecily is married to Avram Hanson and lives in Kfar Saba. They have children, all in Israel, and five grandchildren.